Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is joining forces on an anti-NSA effort with a tea party group pushing to oust Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Paul and FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe appeared together at a news conference Wednesday to announce a class action lawsuit against the National Security Agency, according to a press advisory. FreedomWorks has endorsed McConnell’s conservative challenger, Matt Bevin, in the Republican primary this year, slamming the Senate GOP leader as a “do-nothing incumbent.”
McConnell has declared war on outside right-wing groups seeking to upend the Republican establishment. There is deep animosity between the two camps. Kibbe said this week that Republican leaders were steering donors away from his organization. Paul is supporting McConnell for re-election, although he hasn’t exactly been enthusiastic about it.
Paul and FreedomWorks tapped Ken Cuccinnelli, the former attorney general of Virginia, to be their lead counsel.
McConnell has been supportive of broad NSA powers, largely refraining from criticizing President Barack Obama on the issue.
